Minutes
Town of Greenfield
Greenfield Town Offices, 7 Sawmill Road Greenfield, NH
Selectboard’s Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, October 15, 2014 – 4:30 PM
Selectboard: Chairwoman Debra Davidson, Selectwoman Karen Day, Selectwoman Margaret Charig Bliss
Staff: Administrator Patt, Katherine Heck Treasurer, Fire Chief Loren White, GFD Training Officer David Hall
Public:
The meeting was called to order at 4:30 PM by Chairwoman Davidson.
Documents for Approval/Review/Signature
The Selectboard reviewed and/or signed the following items:
§ A/P Invoices
§ A/P Checks
§ Waste Water Check
§ Notice of Voting Day – Nov. 4th
§ Letter from James E. Murphy, AEMT
§ Preliminary Tax Rate Worksheet – NHDRA
§ Selectmen’s Tax Rate Worksheet
§ Request for Vacation Time – Employees
Chairwoman Davidson opened the meeting at 4:35pm.
4:30 PM: Documents for Approval/Review/Signature
At 4:30 pm the Selectboard signed a Waste Water account payment. The Board reviewed a letter from AEMT, Jim Murphy, recognizing Sergeant Roberge’s CPR at a recent emergency call. The Board reviewed a preliminary tax worksheet from the NH DRA and the Administrator’s tax rate worksheet for Greenfield. The Board reviewed an updated ambulance quote from Peterborough of $32,956.05. The Selectboard approved A/P invoices and signed the A/P checks. The Board reviewed a request for vacation time from Catherine Shaw, Office Manager.
5:00 PM: David and Sandra Kolehmainen, Greenfield residents
At 5:00 pm the Selectboard welcomed David and Sandra Kolehmainen. Mr. Kolehmainen explained that they had come to the Board to make a complaint about a neighbor of theirs after a recent interaction at the neighbor’s home. The Chair said that the Town has a complaint form that they can fill out. Once the complaint form is received the Board will have an investigation undertaken by the appropriate department, or authority. If the issue is one for which there is an action that the Town can undertake, the Kolehmainen’s would be advised of a decision for or against by the Board. If the matter is civil then the complaint would be dropped and the Kolehmainen’s would have to investigate the matter separately. The Kolehmainens said that people drive by their home and beep the horn. They think it is for their
neighbor but its bothering Mrs. Kolehmainen. The think it is fire department members beeping their horn. The neighbor has also expanded their driveway and now it’s encroaching on their property. The Chair said that they would have the Code Enforcement officer look into the complaint once the form was returned. Mr. Kolehmainen had pictures taken when his land was surveyed and it shows his boundary line and the neighbor’s driveway, he said. He would include the pictures with the complaint form.
5:30 PM: Greenfield Tax Rate
At 5:30 pm the Selectboard reviewed the DRA preliminary rate sheet. The Administrator provided an updated Selectboard Tax Rate worksheet that outlines the tax rate figures over the last three years. Treasurer Heck joined the meeting and noted that Selectwoman Charig Bliss has not had any experience with fund balance and setting the tax rate. She suggested that the Administrator provide an overview of the tax rate and use of fund balance over the past three years.
The Administrator outlined the following information:
· In 2012 and 2013 the Town Tax rate was $6.67 based on approximately $1,060,000 (one million sixty thousand dollars) in taxes to be raised ($1,059,671 in 2012 and $1,061,106 in 2013).
· The amount of taxes to be raised is a net amount after revenues are subtracted from the total appropriation. In 2014 the amount of taxes to be raised by the Town is proposed by the Administrator at $1,052,816: after the ConVal refund is factored in and an estimated $115,000 in fund balance used by the Selectboard. This is -$8290 than the previous year.
· In 2014 the amount of taxes to be raised for ConVal is lower than 2013 by -$213,887; the amount of taxes for the County is lower than 2013 by -$13,327, and the State Education tax is lower. The total amount of all taxes-to-be-raised, combined, is lower in 2014 by -$243,582 compared to 2013.
· The revaluation that occurred in 2014 has lowered the total valuation town wide by nearly 15%. Last year the valuation was approximately $158,900,000 and as a result of the revaluation the valuation is now approximately $136,117,000.
· The total tax rate, based on the new valuation, is up 10% to $26.63. Of this the Town tax rate is $7.73.
The Town tax rate and the overall tax rate require a higher tax rate as a result of the lower valuation. The amount of taxes to equal a dollar on the tax rate is now $136,117 compared to the previous five years when it took $158,900 to equal a dollar. As a result there are more increments required in tax value to raise the taxes-to-be-raised that the town uses for services.
The Selectboard reviewed the projections offered by the Administrator and on a motion by the Chair and a second by Selectwoman Day, voted to give back $43,427 of fund balance from the ConVal Refund to property tax payers, and to use an additional $115,000 in fund balance to set the tax rate at a net amount consistent with years 2012 and 2013. The vote passed 3-0 and the Board provided additional guidance to the Administrator to adjust the amount of fund balance to meet $7.73
6:15PM: Fire Chief Loren White
At 6:15pm Chief Loren White came before the Board of Selectmen with Training Officer David Hall. Chief White outlined his interest in delegating the budget to the training officer. The Board and Chief White discussed the delegation and the Board agreed that the Fire Chief could delegate the budget to anyone in the department.
Other Business:
· The Selectboard requested that Budget Committee openings be posted.
· The Selectboard requested that the Resident Complaint Form received from David Kolehmainen (during the meeting) be forwarded for review by C.E.O Michael Borden
· The Selectboard requested that Building Inspector Michael Borden revisit quotes for the Meeting House electrical panels and to forward three quotes to the Town Office.
· The Selectboard requested that the Building Inspector provide an update on the progress with dilapidated buildings.
· The Selectboard requested that the Right of Way from 136 to Depot Street be gated and that notice be posted of the intent to discontinue public cut through on the road.
Adjournment
On a motion by the Chair, and a second by Selectwoman Day, the Board voted to adjourn. The motion carried 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:22 PM.
The minutes are final when approved and signed by the Selectboard. A signed copy is on file in the Selectboard’s office.
______________________ _______________________ ______________________
Chair, Debra Davidson Karen Day, Selectwoman Margaret Charig Bliss, Selectwoman
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